Work which would make a junction on a busy Norwich road safer will start next month, but it will involve road closures.

The £188,000 project - the latest Transport for Norwich scheme to bring improvements for cyclists and pedestrians - will see changes made to the St Augustine’s Gyratory, close to Anglia Square.

City and county councillors agreed to changes in the Magpie Road/Heath Road/Edward Street/Esdelle Street area in April and four weeks of work will begin in October.

It will see a traffic signal controlled crossing for cyclists on Magpie Road directly in line with its junction with Heath Road.

There would be a cycle lane from Magpie Road, opposite the junction with Heath Road, which would lead to Edward Street. Another cycle lane would be created in Heath Road from its junction with Magpie Road.

It would also mean cars would no longer be able to get on to Magpie Road from Heath Road.

The footpath on the west side of Edward Street would be converted from its junction with Magpie Road, to an unsegregated cycle track and footpath.

The work will start on Monday, October 1 as follows:

Monday, October 1: The new closure point on Heath Road will be created. Work will then start at the junction of Heath Road and Magpie Road.

From Wednesday, October 3 to Friday, October 12: Magpie Road will be closed eastbound (towards the Artichoke pub), by the Heath Road junction. Drivers will still be able to get down Edward Street.

From Friday, October 12 to Wednesday, October 24: Magpie Road’s westbound lane (heading away from the Artichoke pub) will be shut by the junction with Edward Street. Drivers will not be able to get on to Edward Street from that direction, although the eastbound road will remain open.

Depending on progress, the council says it might have to place a third closure on the northern section of Edward Street from Saturday, October 20 to Wednesday, October 24.

The money for the project comes from the City Cycling Ambition Grant - cash from the government which other health and local transport money was added to.

The changes were welcomed by the Norwich Cycling Campaign, who had said the current set-up creates a hazard for cyclists coming along Health Road, because cars can turn into the cycle lane from Magpie Road.